Penn State and FIU meet Saturday in college football action from Beaver Stadium. Here’s a Penn State vs FIU prediction. We will look at this from a betting perspective and determine the best Penn State Nittany Lions vs FIU Panthers pick.
Penn State Took Care of Business
Penn State did exactly what was expected in the first game of the season, they dominated the Nevada Wolf Pack. Penn State’s offense scored 46 points and that was enough for the 35 point victory. At halftime, they were up 27-3 and they never looked back on the way to the victory. They outgained Nevada 438-203. Quarterback Drew Allar completed 22 of his 26 passes for 217 yards, one touchdown, and zero interceptions. Ethan Grunkemeyer also came in and got some good playing time and completed 7 of his 9 passes for 86 yards. The top rusher was Kaytron Allen and he ended up with eight rushes for 43 yards and a touchdown.
Winning this game is goal number one, but this is a game where the defense really should be able to dominate. The hope is that everyone stays healthy, and the defense can make another statement.
Why Penn State Will Beat FIU
- Penn State has won each of its last 29 games against non-conference opponents at West Shore Home Field at Beaver Stadium.
- Florida International has lost each of its last six road openers.
- Penn State has covered the spread in five of its last six September games against non-AP-ranked teams.
- Florida International has lost the first half in each of its last three road games against non-conference opponents.
FIU Dominated First Game
FIU knows this is a tough matchup, but they should have a ton of confidence heading into this game. FIU faced off against Bethune-Cookman and they were able to secure the 42-9 victory. At halftime, they had scored 28 points, and they never looked back; they ended up cruising. FIU outgained the Wildcats 456-346. They did allow Bethune-Cookman to move the ball, they just were able to make the big stops when needed. The Wildcats were 5/15 on 3rd down and 0-3 on 4th down. If those numbers were changed a bit, the score would probably look a little different. On offense, FIU had a good game from Kejon Owens and he finished with 11 carries for 71 yards and two touchdowns. Four of the touchdowns for FIU came on the ground.
Why FIU Will Beat Penn State
- Florida International has covered the spread in four of its last five road games against non-conference opponents.
- The team ranked 2nd in the AP Poll has failed to cover the spread in each of its last three games.
Matchup/League Facts
- Penn State ranks T1st among FBS teams for red zone percentage this season (100.0).
- Penn State ranks T19th among FBS teams for average point differential in second quarters this season (+14.0).
- Florida International ranks T8th among FBS teams for Q2 points per game this season (21.0).
- Florida International ranks T11th among FBS teams for average point differential in second quarters this season (+18.0).
Penn State vs Houston Prediction
Penn State did exactly what they needed to do in the first game, and it’s going to be the exact same story in this game. Penn State has a balanced offensive attack and they are going to be able to make the conversions on 3rd and 4th down. FIU gave up plenty of yards in the first game, and they’re going to give up even more than that here. That being said, I was really impressed with the way the FIU offense looked in the first game, and I think they can find success, even against a good defense. This game will feature plenty of offense, and this game is going to end up over the total.